Tablets seem to be all the rage right now, but some of us are still trying to figure out why we'd even want one. Well wonder no more: here are ten worthwhile, clever uses for tablets, whether it's an iPad, Android, or Windows device.

10. A Productive Second Screen

Chances
are you probably do a lot of work on your computer, and a tablet can
actually make a great second screen to augment it—whether you hook it up to your computer as a second monitor or actually use it as a tablet. With a couple work apps and shortcuts,
you can actually use your tablet as a more productive, secondary device
for keeping up with email, your notes, or other work-related tasks you
need to keep an eye on.

8. An All-In-One Ereader

You probably saw this one coming, but it doesn't change that it's one of the best ways to use your tablet. Between apps like iOS' Newsstand or Google Play Magazines, Kindle, comic book readers, and "read later" apps like Pocket, you can pretty much combine all your reading into one, much more portable device. Sorry we forgot to add #8, folks!

7. A Note Taking Machine

If
you're in school (or need to take a lot of notes at work), a tablet
actually makes for a pretty dandy note-taker. You guys had a ton of examples of how you used a tablet in class,
from making annotations in books and articles to making handwritten
notes and equations or even just downsizing your massive stack of
textbooks. And with apps Evernote, Drafts, and OneNote available, you can do more with your notes than you ever could on paper.

6. A Creative Tool

Traditionalists may scoff at the use of digital tablets for art, but they allow you to do a lot of things you can't do on paper—especially if you're short on funds. Whether it's making music, digital painting,
or creative writing, a tablet gives you portability, ease of use, and
the ability to easily copy or share your works quickly and easily. It
may not be your go-to studio, but it's a great tool to have at your
disposal for creative tasks.

5. An Integrated Car Dashboard

Ever
used the built-in navigation and music players in most cars? A lot of
them leave a lot to be desired (okay, let's be frank, they suck). Why
not just integrate your iPad or Android tablet to the mix instead? It's
got music, it's got navigation, it's easy to use, and you can even
control it with your voice. We've seen countless examples of this, from DIY mounts to more serious, built-in setups. Whatever you choose to do, it's sure to bring your car into the 21st century.

4. A Portable Media and Gaming Center

Imagine the awesomeness of a home theater PC that fits in your backpack. You can bring it over to your friends' house for the Game of Thrones finale, throw some old school video games on their TV, or stream some Netflix on a whim. All you need is a tablet and the right apps and accessories. Plus, it's great for when you have those same cravings at the airport or while you're out with no access to a TV. And if you're really dedicated to those old school video games, you can turn it into a mini retro cabinet, too.

3. A Do-Everything Family Device

Having a tablet lying around as a general all-purpose device—for quickly checking email, reading the web, or killing a few minutes with a game—seems to be an ideal use case. It's faster and easier than grabbing your laptop or heading to your computer, and it isn't locked to one location. However, most tablets don't really lend themselves to multi-user experience. Thankfully, we've figured out some ways around that problem, so you can use your tablet as a do-everything device for the whole household. And with a few dedicated "tablet stations," it'll never get lost.